Huron-Bruce’s federal and provincial Members of Parliament were busy handing out money for roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects in the riding on Saturday.

The federal and provincial governments are each putting $17,680,300 into the projects. The benefiting municipalities will contribute the cost of the other third of each project.

“This is a partnership (with the federal government) that we’ve been waiting for for a long time,” said MPP Carol Mitchell. The infrastructure projects are laying the foundation for more jobs down the road.

The two levels of government want to see jobs right away, she said. The shovel has to be ready to go in the ground if a project is to get funding.

After its worst season ever, the Bluewater Summer Playhouse has seen its debt to the municipality of Kincardine rise to almost $20,000.

In two-and-a-half years of arrears, the Playhouse has accumulated a debt of $19,484.72. The owed money stems from overdue rent payments owed on the theatre space in the Kincardine Arts Centre on Queen Street.

The Playhouse’s Jennifer Webb told council Feb. 11 that the group has trimmed its 2009 budget considerably. It has hired a new creative team at a lower cost and has finalized its lineup early to enable bookings from bus tours and other seasonal tour groups.

Some Kincardine councillors have agreed to spend $125,000 to let a consulting firm evaluate the work of municipal staff.

Councillor Marsha Leggett brought forward a motion Feb. 11, asking council to consider pre-budget approval for a consulting firm to work with council to review the performance of the CAO, senior management and lower-tier staff. The consultant would also come up with recommendations on personnel changes and ways to make the municipality run more efficiently.

“If you have been on council for two years and haven’t seen problems, you better start paying attention,” said Leggett. “I’ve seen a lot of problems.”

South Bruce OPP are investigating a motor vehicle accident that that claimed the life of a 31-year-old Walkerton man.

The accident happened Feb. 10 at about 4:30 p.m. on Concession 6 Greenock Township west of the Village of Chepstow.

A vehicle had entered the north ditch and caused guide wires to fall across the roadway. A Good Samaritan, Derrick Walter, stopped to assist the driver in the ditch.

A second vehicle, a Dodge Dakota pickup driven by a 34-year-old Walkerton man, drove over the downed wires, causing a hydro pole to break and fall, hitting Walter who succumbed to his injuries at the scene .

South Bruce OPP are asking any one witnessed the accident to contact South Bruce OPP Walkerton at 519 881-3130 , OPP Dispatch at 1-888-310- 1122 or Crime Stoppers 1-800 -222-8477

After three weeks of lengthy discussions, Kincardine has flip-flopped on its plan to change its hybrid committee structure.

At its Feb. 4 meeting, council voted to maintain the current hybrid committee system it has had in place for the first two years of its mandate. Three weeks earlier, council had voted to change to a more traditional committee structure.

‘I’m confused, I thought this body had voted to go another direction,” said councillor Randy Roppel. “It’s plain and simple; let’s get on with a decision.”

Initially, council voted to get rid of the use of committee-of-the-whole. Some councillors were tired of committees doing a lot of work to make a recommendation, only to have it turned down by council.